10 Wrestling Heel Turns That Totally Saved Careers
7. Mark Henry
As one of WWE’s most notable late bloomers, the first 15 years of Mark Henry’s career weren’t all that successful. He regularly drifted on and off television, and while occasionally pushed, the big Texan struggled to establish himself as anything more than a one-note novelty act, regardless of his position on the card.
2009-11 was a particularly dull period, with Henry spending much of his time in listless babyface tag teams with MVP and Evan Bourne. Then, in April 2011, Henry was sent to SmackDown as part of the WWE draft, attacking Christian and John Cena on his first night with the brand. This sparked the heel turn that eventually brought the most successful period of his career, and ultimately rescued him from babyface purgatory.
The Hall Of Pain opened its doors when Henry crushed Big Show’s leg with a chair a few months later, then did the same to Kane and The Great Khali. Suddenly, Henry was WWE’s prime monster heel, and he soon became World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Randy Orton. Questionable booking and injuries curbed his run, but Henry flourished through unmatched power, ruthlessness, and chilling promos, making him one of the most memorable heels of the past decade.